Fight or Flight
by Hailey Quinn
Summary: After Cora's defeat, Emma struggles - Fight? or Flight?


**_Author's note - I started this as a fluffy little piece, and it turned into this piece._**

**_Thank you to Shannon and Rachel for putting up with my craziness._**

**_On to the story! (Clearly I don't own the show or characters)_**

* * *

Trying to take the Saviour's heart again was Cora's biggest mistake.

* * *

Cora magically shoved everyone aside, pushing her way to Emma, while she struggled to stand, bleeding from more places than not.

With a smirk, Cora pulled Emma up by her jacket. "You thought you could win, dear? Power, true power will always win." She punched her hand into Emma's chest, pulling her heart with all of her force, fighting against the strength of love, trying to break the bonds.

She never saw the pulse of magic fly out of Emma, or the simultaneous massive fireball from Regina. Cora flew backward and was incinerated immediately.

Emma's knees gave out, but before she could collapse, two strong arms were wrapped around her. The woman holding her up was heaving and sobbing. Emma gently sat them down, the former queen wrapping herself further around her saviour, hands grasping at Emma's jacket, hair, face, neck, whatever she could reach. _What the hell? Regina's gone off the deep end. _ "Shhh, Regina, I'm okay. I'm really okay. She can't take my heart. Regina, look at me…I'm okay."

Regina didn't look up; instead she further nestled her head into Emma's neck and settled one hand over Emma's heart, feeling the steady beat, and the other hand snuck around Emma, to cling to her jacket.

"Em…I…I thought she was going to destroy you and…"

She stopped talking, realizing the entire town was watching the spectacle. She practically leapt off of Emma, yanking her jacket back into place and smoothing down her dress.

"I am glad you are okay, Miss Swan. Henry will be happy to have his mother back." She sharply turned on her heel, and stomped away back to her mansion. _What…I don't even…what?_

Emma sat there, stunned, until Snow came over, offering her hand to help her up, only to pull her into a bone crushing hug as Charming wrapped himself around both of them. She squirmed out of the hug. _Ugh. Touchy feely._ "Um thanks guys…where's Henry?"

Snow touched her daughter's cheek. "He's in my loft with a pair of binoculars." At Emma's look, she elaborated. "I had to get him to stay and it was the only way he still felt included. YOU try keeping a preteen boy away from a battlefield next time."

Emma chuckled and looked towards the retreating form of Regina. Snow noticed the stare. "Emma. Go. We've got this. I...I hope you figure whatever...that...was out." Emma hadn't moved or made any sign of hearing Snow.

She sighed and gently pushed Emma in Regina's direction. "Go, sweetheart. Go." Emma turned and gave a half smile before stalking off in the direction of the mayor's mansion.

As she walked, she pulled her coat in, essentially giving herself a hug and small boost of comfort. Her thoughts wandered, still stunned by Regina's sudden reaction after Cora tried to take her heart...and her sudden departure. She'd never seen the mayor so openly emotional, or touchy feely. Regina had practically crawled into Emma's jacket in a desperate attempt to feel her heartbeat. _It was crazy_, Emma thought_. I don't even...I don't understand._

She stopped at the gate, staring up at the mansion. She hesitated because she realized she had no idea what to do. _Fight or flight. Fight. Or. Flight. Dammit Emma, pull yourself together. It's Regina. Just Regina._ She shook her head. _Since when was Regina ever just Regina_.

Emma walked up to the porch and pushed her hair behind her ears before knocking. No answer. _Come on, Regina, I know you're in there_. She knocked again. Nothing.

She tried the handle and found it open. She pushed her head in, peeking around the door. "Regina? Hello?" Still nothing.

Stepping into the foyer, Emma fidgeted with her sleeves and stared at the ground. "Um, Regina? I...I need to talk to you?" Her voice was laced with questions. Even she didn't know exactly why she was here. "Regina? Oh, come on! I will go through this house until I find you and I'll probably track mud all over your goddamn impeccable floors."

A small snik indicated the office door opened. _Ahaha I win. Of course that got you out here._ A haggard Regina stepped out, wearing just her stained and wrinkled dress - no shoes. "Miss Swan. To what to I owe the pleasure?" Her voice contained no real malice, just exhaustion. She stepped lightly toward Emma, stopping just outside her personal space. Not close enough to touch, but not too far as to be completely awkward.

Emma stumbled to find a sentence. "I...you...I... I just thought we might want to talk." _She's so tiny without her goddamn ego_. "I mean, uh, you...you kind of tackle-hugged me."

_Fight._

Regina glared, again, with no real malice. "I was simply worried that Henry would lose his favourite mother. I was simply caught up in the moment." She stepped backward, moving to turn away from Emma.

"Not so fast. You were 'simply caught up in the moment?'" Emma mocked back, mimicking her obnoxiously regal tone. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" She stepped closer to Regina, suddenly and seemingly towering over Regina with the advantage of her boots.

Regina dropped her gaze to the floor, lost for words. "Miss Swan – "

"Emma. My name is Emma and you know it. I believe you shouted it as you killed your mother to save me."

Regina's breath hitched, and she flinched like she had been hit. "I was...caught...in the moment." Her gaze lifted and leveled Emma with the sudden and intense fire in her eyes. _Ah. There's my Regina. Wait – my Regina? What the hell? Whatever. Good enough for now_. "And, Miss Swan, did you come here just to antagonize me? To remind me that I just killed my own _mother_?" Her voice rose and broke at the end, and she started to turn away and wrap her arms around her torso.

_Shitshitshitshit._ "Yes Regina. I came here to rub it in your face. Dammit Regina, no! I came here because I _thought_ you might need a hug after what just happened but apparently, _Your Majesty_, you're fine! I'll just see myself out, then!" Emma sneered before she whipped around and stomped toward the still open door, yanking it shut behind her with a bang.

_Flight._

Regina faltered and choked over her own voice, getting caught in sobs she was trying to repress. "Wait - Em - I - wait." She had been reaching for Emma, stumbling after her, but her hands dropped to her sides as the door slammed shut. The slam echoed through the house and through Regina. She collapsed the floor on her knees, finally succumbing to every emotion and her pain, wracking sobs running through her whole body, all semblance of the Evil Queen and formidable Mayor - gone.

Emma stood outside on the porch, hands wiping her face in frustration. _Goddammit Regina. You can't just make things easy, can you. Damn damn damn. _She paced back and forth before leaning back against the door and sliding down, head on her knees.

* * *

She sat there for hours, not noticing the passing time. She remained unmoving, just working through her thoughts. A chill ran through her body and she looked up, finally registering the time - way too late to just sit and mope on the Mayor's porch. _Damn. Damn. Damn. I should probably at least check on Regina. Shouldn't I? She kicked me out._ Emma sighed. _Never mind. I'll just go._

Emma walked down the path, and paused at the gate, one hand resting on the fence. She stood there with her head bowed for a moment, before huffing. _Fine. FINE. Fine. Just to see that she's okay. Then I'll go. Five minutes. That's it._ She sighed again and turned back up the path, pausing at the door. _Shit. Do I knock? She'll kill me if I just go in but we both know she won't let me in_. She leaned her head against the door, thunking her forehead over and over it while trying to decide. _Knock or leave. Knock or leave._

_Fight._

The door flew open and Emma fell, nearly cracking her face on two perfectly pedicured and bare feet. "Miss Swan, kindly remove yourself from my feet and doorstep. I do not wish to speak to you, ever, really, now that I mention it." She paused as Emma stumbled to her feet, drawing herself up to her full height. Regina sneered at the thought that she held the height advantage now, with the step up into her house.

"Regina, I just wanted to make sure you...were...o-" She stopped, having looked at Regina's face. Her mascara from the morning, _or was it yesterday, I don't even know,_ was thoroughly smeared all down her face and her eyes, puffy from the hours of sobbing. Without thinking, she raised one hand to brush away the remaining tears. "Regina...I'm so sorry."

Regina sighed and leaned her hand into Emma's palm, before shaking it away. She gave Emma a withering stare. "You cannot possibly expect that to be sufficient. Please remove yourself from my presence immediately." She stepped back and attempted to shut the door.

"Ouch!" Emma's foot was crammed in the door, stopping it. "Please. Let me in. I...I need to know you're okay. You lost your mother and...I...that can't be easy." She stared at her foot. "Please."

Regina let go of the door and stalked into her office, slamming the door behind her.

Sigh. One step at a time, I suppose. Emma walked in and locked the door behind her. _Damn. Now what_. She sat and peeled her boots off, sighing in relief, and hung her jacket up. _Right in the closet AND on a hanger. You're welcome, Regina._

She paused at the ornate mirror, attempting to fix her hair, brushing it back with another sigh. _Hopeless. Wonderful._

Steeling herself and drawing her shoulders up, Emma walked towards Regina's office. She stopped dead in her tracks, just a step from the door, hearing heartbreaking sobs from the other side. _Oh, Regina... I'm so sorry_. She knocked, and upon getting no response, walked through the door.

Regina was curled into the couch, just a step inside the door, face in the cushions and arms drawn around herself. Emma quickly stepped in front of the couch and laid her hand on Regina's shoulder. She shrugged it off, so Emma sat, her thigh touching Regina's bare feet. "Regina. Please...please look at me."

The fallen queen looked up, tears streaming down her face, further staining her dress as they fell from her chin. She gasped for breath, attempting, and failing, to pull her mask together.

Emma sighed, watching the failed attempt, and reached over to Regina. She wrapped her arms around Regina's shaking body, pulling her across and into her lap, mimicking the scene from the middle of the street. Regina didn't resist; rather, she just curled into Emma and cried harder. Emma murmured reassurances into her hair, pressing light kisses along her hair line. _Where the hell did those come from? And what happened to the Mayor?_

Eventually Regina stopped, and her breathing evened out. She let go of Emma's shirt and reached her hand up to Emma's face, startled by the tears she felt. She looked up into Emma's face, seeing green eyes filled with tears, matching hers.

Emma smiled, just a little, just enough to make her eyes soften. Regina gave a tiny smile back. _I don't know who this woman is anymore. She's so...broken_.

Regina watched Emma's face, seeming to read her thoughts. She sighed and started to pull away again. Emma quickly pulled her back. "Regina, let me help you. I...I...killed your mom. I need to know...are you okay...I mean...I...I killed someone. I killed Cora..." Emma started to shake, her own realizations hitting her. _I killed Regina's mother. I...I murdered someone. I –_. Emma broke into gasping sobs. _I never had to kill anyone before…_

_Flight._

Her thoughts were cut short. Regina had shifted to envelop Emma in a hug. _Where did that come from? What…I don't…enemies. We're enemies and we are snuggling on the couch, because my life wasn't crazy enough as it was. The Evil Queen and the Saviour. Snuggling. What the hell?_ Regina pressed her face into Emma's neck for the second time that day and whispered, lips close enough to Emma's neck that each breathy word sent shivers down Emma's spine. "I killed my mother. I killed my own mother...because she...she tried to kill you." She shuddered and clutched tighter to Emma; the confession admitted everything that Regina wanted to hide, every emotion she never wanted to show.

Emma's mouth fell open_. Well of course she did. Her shouts of my name made it kind of obvious. But...she admitted it. I don't even...know...what..._

She grasped at the back of Regina's dress, dragging her into her lap and further into their hug. They were now both sobbing too hard to make sense of anything.

* * *

Emma finally gathered herself and shifted to pull Regina into her arms, bridal style. She stood up and started toward the stairs, reaching the bottom step before Regina noticed.

_Fight._

She immediately pulled her head from Emma's shoulder and turned to stare. "Miss Swan, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"_Regina_," Emma growled, emphasizing her first name, "you're exhausted. I'm exhausted. We look like hell. You are going to bed and I'm going back to my...mother...who probably has the whole town out looking for me. It's the middle of the night."

Regina unfolded herself from Emma, none too gracefully. She stumbled and righted herself on the first step, again establishing a height difference. _Oh yes. Because that's intimidating. _This time, though, there was a softness to her eyes, even with the glare. "Exactly. It's the middle of the night, _EMMA_, and I'm sure Snow knows where you are. Come upstairs and take my guest bedroom. We both know you are too tired to walk all the way across town to her loft."

"Regina, you just sobbed in my arms and, in turn, held me while I sobbed, flipped out when I tried to take you to your bed, and now you are, in your own way, begging me to stay. What the hell am I supposed to do with you? I can't...I can't handle all this right now. I need to go."

She turned to leave again, but this time she stopped at the strangled sob from behind her.

_Flight._

Regina stood, one hand to her mouth and the other outstretched to Emma. "Please. Please." She choked back another sob. Her resolve cracked, leaving the lonely and usually abandoned little girl in her place, once again. "Please don't go. You...you can't just leave me here. I need... I..." Her knees started to give out, exhaustion taking over.

_Fight._

Emma jumped forward and caught Regina. She wrapped herself around her, pulling her as close as possible, given the steps in the way. "What? What do you need? I need to know where I stand because I can't keep going back and forth. I don't even know what you want from me. You need a shoulder to cry on? A friend? An acquaintance? A _what_, Regina? What. Do. You. Need," Emma snarled. _A girlfriend? No. Stop that. You can't keep that up. Knock it off. Evil. Queen._

"I just need...dammit Emma. I need you. Okay? Are you pleased? You finally got the Evil Queen, herself, to beg. To you. For you." She pulled back and drew herself to her full height. "I'm going to bed. You may choose to follow me if you wish, but kindly take a shower first. You smell like a puppy who rolled in a compost heap."

Emma laughed. "Seriously? You just can't help it can you." She paused, before pressing herself into Regina, again. "And, I never wanted the Evil Queen to beg. I wanted _my_ Regina to be honest with me."

Regina gasped, and moved to climb the stairs, but was stopped by two hands on her waist. "What are we even doing, Regina? This is...this is crazy." _What is even happening? This morning she was my enemy...and now...now she's my Regina all of a sudden?_

_Flight._

Regina stared at Emma, unsure of how to say what she needed to say. She, instead, slowly leaned forward, staring into Emma's eyes, watching them widen as she encroached and entered her personal space. She breathed a gentle sigh, before tilting her head to the side.

Emma stood with her eyes wide open as Regina gently pressed her lips into hers. Emma smelled her remaining perfume and her eyes fluttered shut, one hand dragging up Regina's side to brush her cheekbone, as Regina reached up to brush Emma's petulant hair away from her face. Their lips moved, just barely brushing against each other, Emma's chapped lips catching on Regina's smooth lips, still stained red from her lipstick.

Regina pulled away, resting her forehead on Emma's, breathing in and out in smooth motions. Emma, however, felt her pulse rushing. _She kissed me. Regina. Kissed. Me_.

_Fight. Definitely fight._

As Emma gathered her thoughts, Regina slipped her hand down, lacing her fingers with Emma's, pulling her up the stairs until they reached her bedroom.

"You're welcome to stay with me, Emma. I can get you something to wear, while you shower, and yes, Miss Swan, you _will_ be showering. You still stink." Emma laughed and nodded.

She walked around Regina and into the bathroom, shedding clothes as she went, tossing them haphazardly on the ground. Emma smirked, knowing exactly what glare she got from Regina.

She didn't take long in the shower, hesitating only when she pulled the body wash out and realized it did, indeed, smell like apples. _Does this woman just TRY to live up to her stereotype?_

She finished and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her hair and pulling a robe on over her body. She walked into the bedroom, snarky comment at the ready at the lack of clothes, but she stopped in her tracks. Regina was on her bed, feet on the floor. She had fallen asleep with Emma's pajamas in her hands and her pile of dirty clothes neatly folded next to her. Emma gently eased the pajamas from her and quickly put them on. She then gently removed Regina's ruined dress, blushing at the sudden expanse of skin, before folding it and placing it on a chair. She quickly turned the bedroom light off, and pulled Regina under the covers, before climbing in behind her.

She stared at the ceiling and attempted to sort through her thoughts before falling into a dreamless sleep. Sometime during the night, the two women curled up into each other, Emma providing protection, even in sleep.

* * *

Emma woke suddenly and tried to gather her bearings. _Oh shit. Regina_. Regina wasn't there, and her side of the bed was cold.

_Flight._

Emma jumped up from the bed and ran down the stairs_. The door is still locked - where did you go? _She looked around and realized she smelled coffee. She immediately went towards the kitchen.

Regina stood at the counter, leaning against it. She held a mug of steaming coffee in her hands and was snuggled into Emma's robe. Her thumb stroked the rim of the mug, back and forth, back and forth, while she stared out the window.

Emma smiled and started walking towards Regina, only to be stopped.

"Go away."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Go away."

"You _can't_ be serious."

Regina's gaze shot up from her unfocused daze. "Did I stutter, Miss Swan? Go. Away."

_Fight._

Emma stood with her mouth open, stunned. "After the shit we just went through, you want me to just 'go away.""

"Yes."

They stood, staring at one another, until Regina sighed and turned away. Her gaze dropped back to her coffee. "I cannot have you stay. Everyone and everything I have liked has been taken from me, or I have destroyed them."

"Regina, I think you're overreacting. Stop and let me in. Quit being a pain in the ass."

"My childhood was taken from me by my mother. My love, Daniel, by my mother. My innocence by Leopold. My baby - ," Regina's voice had been shaking, and broke at the mention of her baby. She shuddered and steeled herself before she started again. "My baby was taken by Leopold, at his command, after five months of carrying the child. He decided he didn't want...her...anymore. He just wanted Snow. My…my baby girl." She had tears running down her face and sobs started to wrack her body. "My humanity was taken by Rumpelstiltskin My prized steed was taken by my own greed. My father, my Daddy, was taken by my thirst for revenge. My life was taken by my curse. My son was taken from me by my own selfishness and callous disregard. You were taken from me by my own destiny, by the damned portal." She paused to wipe away her tears, while Emma stood stunned. "I cannot let you stay. You will be ruined by me. Everyone I love is ruined. By me. Please don't let me ruin you too. So, I'll say it just one more time. Go. Away." Regina turned and set her coffee down on the counter, before she wrapped her arms around herself, desperately trying to hang on to the last of her control.

_Fight._

Emma didn't move, stunned. _She had a baby. She took her own father. She had a baby. She's protecting me. She had a baby._ "My Regina." She startled herself when the last was aloud, not in her thoughts. Regina, too, was startled, flinching.

Emma immediately walked around Regina. She reached up to wipe away her tears, but Regina flinched again, expecting to be hit.

"My Regina. Come back to me." Emma watched as Regina regathered her bearings, coming back from her tortured memories. Emma slowly raised her arms and pulled Regina into her chest. Regina stiffened, before melting into Emma. "I'm not leaving you. You aren't going to ruin me. I'm the Saviour. Pretty sure I can handle a little old Evil Queen. It's kind of my job." Emma's poor attempts at jokes seemed to have registered with Regina, feeling her smile against her neck.

"I swear, if you keep talking, I will be forced to kick you out for fear of having Charming Junior in my house, something I will not tolerate. Bumbling idiocy is _not_ something I allow near me."

"You like me and you know it." That one earned her a sharp jab to the ribs.

"OUCH! Jeez Regina!" Regina started laughing, her giggles contagious and eventually the two of them were laughing so hard, they had to sit; they leaned back against the cupboards, Regina's head on Emma's shoulder and their hands intertwined.

They didn't know where they would end up or where they would go, but they were content sitting just where they were, on a spotless kitchen floor, because they had each other… The Evil Queen and her Saviour, fighting until the very end.

_Fight. Fight. Fight._

* * *

**_Please let me know what you think - this is the first time I've attempted something like this and I'm having a hard time with it._**

**_Constructive_****_ criticism is the best - helps me figure out if I should ever do this again._**

**_My love,_**

**_Nova_**


End file.
